Vision and Null finished their work a few minutes before the testing period ended.
Vis was surprised at Null's confidence. As soon as he read out a problem on the test, Null almost always knew the answer.
That is because Null felt calm as he recalled the answers. He wasn't scared of losing the bet because he had security in his knowledge.
When it was time for release, Null's squad stood up, and Circuit began to get his brothers into formation. A few seemed more uncomfortable with their test performance than others.
Vis took Null's hand, walking him over. "So, Sub? How do you think you did? Did your test anxiety get to ya?" He asked.
Subtle nodded, shaking slightly, "I blanked so many times- I know that I know this stuff... It's just-" He began to get choked up. He covered his face to conceal the fact that he was afraid and on the verge of tears.
Null patted his back gently, "I think you did okay, Subtle. Don't worry about it."
Subtle took a few deep breaths, "Thanks Null." He whispered.
"We're going to simulator training next, Subtle. You always feel better when you're shooting a blaster." Patches told him with a smile of reassurance.
Subtle nodded.
"Okay, brothers. Let's move out." Circuit told them, walking out after a majority of the cadets had already left.
Flashback looked back at Null as he marched in rhythm with the others, "How are you feeling, Null?"
"Great! Thanks for asking!" Null replied as he tried to match his steps to his brothers'.
"I mean, you did wager a lot against Lafa Re. I hope you got above an eighty, brother..." Flash replied.
Null only smiled, "We shall see."
They entered a small room, and Null felt slightly claustrophobic, "Uh, guys? If this is the simulator, it's not as exciting as you say."
Circuit laughed, "This is the lift, Null. It'll bring us into the simulator. There, we'll grab our weapons and practice shots on targets."
Null nodded, just wanting to leave this small enclosure. He loved his brothers dearly, but he was uncomfortable with being so close to all of them. Soon, Null could feel the ground beneath him move. He was slightly panicky with this unsteady ground, but he felt better when he could see light and a large room filled with different barricades and structures. This colorless room intrigued him, as did all the objects around.
Overhead, Lafa Re, Sala Te, and a few other Kaminoans controlled the mechanics of the room.
AZI-83 was also there on a request to see Null in action and view the effectiveness of his creation.
Lafa began speaking through the speakers, "Attention. Grab your weapons and the simulation will commence."
Null began to run over to a weapon rack to grab a weapon, but then Lafa continued to speak.
"CT-2378? You are prohibited from participating, due to your extreme lack of experience. You'll be sitting this out."
When the speakers cut off, Patches looked at poor Null sympathetically, "She's really out for you, isn't she? I'm sorry, brother..."
While on the simulator grounds, Null's brothers offered support and love, but inside of the control station was the complete opposite. Sala and AZI-83 were standing up to Lafa.
"Lafa! What are you doing?! He has the physical capabilities to participate! Why are you depriving him of such an important experience?" Sala asked, angered that her colleague would act so cold towards a young boy with a disability.
"I did not waste multiple hours and what little sanity I have left on that visor just to have it go to waste! Let him have a try!" AZ-83 added.
"Absolutely not!" Lafa countered, "He isn't cut out for this and never will be! Why give him a chance now?"
Sala wasn't one to anger, but this scenario didn't apply, "You don't know if he won't be suited for battle. Shoving him back into seclusion will be the true factor that determines that he isn't suited for war. If you don't give him a chance, he'll never have an opportunity to succeed, Lafa! Let him try once!"
"Please hear Sala out on this. If he succeeds, I will be out of the misery of being a nurse and service droid and you will have another trooper for battle. It's a win-win..." AZI-83 added, "He complains too much about feeling useless- I'm getting sick and tired of this. That's why I gave him a chance- besides. No one likes people who complain on the regular." He didn't realize the fallacious "tu quoqe" statement he made, but the point got across.
Lafa sighed in frustration, "Fine... I will allow him one opportunity. But if messes this up, he goes back to his old way of life, got it?"
Sala and AZ-83 gave a nod of agreement to Lafa's terms.
Lafa Re begrudgingly announced over the speakers that Null would indeed participate in target practice. "Oh, and one more thing-" Lafa added, "Your opponents will arrive soon."
Null and his squad cheered, but then those cheers died into annoyed whispers when Talon and his brothers rose from the lift, looking smug and like they were entitled to victory.
"Are you kidding me? Lafa Re has to be setting us up- Why out of all the cadets here are we chosen to compete against Talon and his batch of no-good brothers?" Patches muttered.
Talon sauntered forward, "Well well well... If it isn't the defectives. I'm honored to be teaching you how to hold a blaster correctly."
Patches inhaled sharply as he bit his lip and balled up his fists.
"Got a problem, 'ginger?'" Talon asked, glaring at Patches.
Patches held back a few aggressive words he wanted to tell Talon. He stayed silent, trying to suppress his rising anger.
Talon scoffed, "That's what I thought..." He continued to his next target, "Never would I think that I would be training alongside a blind clone with zero experience. I'm truly honored."
"You leave Null alone, Talon!" Circuit snapped.
Talon ignored him, "This will be so much fun watching you fail. I'm excited to see how bad you do."
"Failure comes with learning. I'll improve as I progress." Null replied calmly, "And I'm glad you are honored to be in my presence. Is this your first time respecting a member of my squad?"
Null's squad began to chuckle at Talon's shocked expression as Null turned his insults back into a question.
"N- no! I wasn't...! You know what? Whatever! Let's just get this over with!" Talon stammered, angered that Null wasn't responding how he expected.
"I agree. This will be fun." Null smirked, exhibiting the smug confidence that Talon displayed not thirty seconds prior.
Lafa announced that the targets would come online in two minutes and that the two squads should take the time they had to prepare for the training exercise.
Talon's squad ran to choose their weapons.
Talon passed Null a dirty look before he followed his squadmates.
Null walked over to Patches, side-hugging him, "What did that facial expression mean?"
Patches laughed, "It means that Talon doesn't like you... But that's normal, Brother. He's Talon. I'd expect nothing less out of him."
Null nodded as he laid his head on Patches' shoulder and sighed. He looked at the blaster in the hand that wasn't around his brother.
This object was unlike anything he had ever held before. It was slightly heavy. The handle grooves fit his fingers. The barrel was rectangular with a small cylindrical end to fire the shots.
Null rubbed the trigger softly. It was amazing to have the ability to control if and when the blaster was shot. He had never had control over something before, making the experience a special one for him.
A soft start-up sound echoed in the room before a few targets rose out of the floor. They weren't firing anything since this round was intended to get everyone used to the surroundings and weapons.
Talon and his squad began to attack the targets mercilessly, doing their run-throughs.
Circuit's squad began doing the same, taking it slower and working on their technique as a squad.
Patches stayed by Null's side since he was overwhelmed and unsure how the training blaster worked.
"Here, Null. I'll help you hit your first target." Patches told him softly, "No need to worry."
As they walked up to a target together, Null watched his brothers work together, displaying their unique talents. He smiled as Adrenaline dash-shot about three targets before diving behind a barricade.
Patches stopped in front of a target, "Here we go. I'll show you what to do now." He stood behind Null, "Now, it's not just about pulling a trigger, brother. That's a common misconception that many cadets believe. It's also about form, aim, breathing, and focus."
"Okay... So how do I do all that?" Null asked, keeping the barrel of his blaster facing down.
"First, copy me." Patches told him, getting into the proper stance and pointing his blaster at the target.
Null mirrored him, carefully raising his blaster, "Okay? Now what?"
"Look down the barrel. See a little pin? You're going to want to line that up in the middle with the part at the end. That's your sights. You use those to shoot at your target." Patches instructed, "When you are ready, breathe in, squeeze the trigger, then breathe out."
Null nodded, doing all he was commanded to do. When he fired, the shot missed. He was happy that he got to shoot the blaster but was disappointed that he didn't hit his target as expected.
"That's okay." Patches told him, patting his shoulder, "I miss sometimes too. It's part of learning. You just need more practice."
Null nodded, firing more shots, still missing.
Lafa looked down from the control room, observing Null, "He isn't faring well. I think that visor is as defective as he is."
AZ-83 let out a sound of offense, "If you are saying that my hard work is a mistake, you have a whole new thing coming." He began to glide toward the speakers.
Lafa Re stepped in front of him, staring him down, "What do you think you're doing?!" She snarled, "You are not authorized to use these systems."
"And technically I'm not your droid, am I? Remember dooming me to four tormenting years as a servant droid, not doing the duties that I was made for? Although you are over me, I have full permission from the defective squad's representative to use such machines for a few seconds. I believe Sala Te, the unofficial representative, could grant me a few seconds?"
Lafa stood in disgust as a flicker of a smile came upon Sala's face, "For once, I gotta say- you're pretty smart, 83... I wouldn't see how a few seconds on the speakers could hurt anything."
Lafa Re stepped aside with a growl.
AZI-83 activated the speakers before he began to speak, "Null. On your right side, there will be a button. Hit it once." He then came off the speakers.
Null did as instructed. He felt out the button before pressing it.
When he pressed it, the surroundings became gridded, and the visor sought out the targets around him. Null raised his blaster, aligning the sights, and the aim on the visor corrected, showing a dot that pulsed as if commanding to be shot at.
Null lined up his blaster sights with the dot and fired.
Patches gasped. "Null- that was the most perfect shot I have ever seen- you hit that training droid in the head where the operating circuits would be! Brothers! Get over here! Null just fired an amazing shot!"
Circuit and his squad ran over. Ember ran over half because of Null and the other half because he heard the word "fire."
Talon got curious and ran over as well. "What's all the attention about?" He asked.
"I just got my first shot on the target! Patches said it was one of the best he's ever seen!" Null replied, jumpy with excitement.
"Pfft- PLEASE- he's probably trying to cover up how bad it was. Besides, even if you did make a good shot, I bet you could never replicate it." Talon replied, crossing his arms.
Null laughed, "First off, I did make a good shot, and second, I could give it a try!" He aimed, aligned, held his breath, and fired.
Perfect hit like the last.
Null's squadmates' jaws dropped, but not as much as Talon's.
"L-lucky shot." Talon stammered.
Null followed the same steps, firing at and hitting the same area impeccably for the third time.
Null's squad cheered and wrapped him in a loving group hug as Talon slunk jealously away and back to his division.
He felt safe and secure with them as he sighed and relaxed in the group embrace.